Will Hand Out Pirated ‘Padmavati’ CDs Outside Halls: Karni Sena

Deepika Padukone in a still from Padmavati.

The controversy surrounding Padmavati doesn’t seem to end. With the film set to release on 1 December, Rajputs are aggressively lobbying to boycott the film to ensure that Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus tanks at the box office.

The Karni Sena called for a press conference in Ahmedabad on Saturday, 18 November, which was addressed by Sher Singh Rana, a Rajput youth leader from Rajasthan.

Rana declared that on 3 December, a ‘Gaurav Swabhimaan Mahasamellan’ will be organised in the city where thousands of Rajputs will assemble to protest against the movie.

Rana said, “On 3 December, during the Gaurav Swabhimaan Mahasammellan, we will showcase the real story of Padmavati either through a short film or play. Many people are speculating whether Padmavati was real or not. Let’s say if she was not real, then why is Bhansali portraying us under the wrong light. Look at Baahubali. The movie was a huge hit because it was a positive story.”

Rana plans to dent the box office collection of Padmavati by holding protests outside theatres and multiplexes across the country.

“I started the protest a year ago and we were against the misrepresentation of the Rajput heritage in the film. For a year, the Rajputs have been rallying support to stop Sanjay Leela Bhansali from making the film. It was only 10 days ago that Bhansali released a statement saying that in no way the heritage of the Rajputs has been tarnished. Why didn’t he do this a year ago when we were protesting? He wanted the film to raise controversy and through it, he wanted to mint money,” the Rajput leader alleged.

I am a Rajput, If I must behead Bhansali I would do it on my own hand and not for money or offer someone money to do it. In fact no Rajput does such acts for money or popularity. It is cowardice.

Sher Singh Rana, Rajput Yuva Neta

He appealed to all cinemagoers and said, “If the film releases, we request our fellow countrymen who are proud to be Indians and who consider Rani Padmavati as their mother, to boycott the movie in the theatres. Those who are excited about the movie should watch it on their mobile phones or get pirated CDs of the same and watch it at home. By doing this we can ensure that Bhansali doesn’t make a buck out of the movie. We want to break the film commercially.”

When asked will the protests outside multiplexes turn violent as happened in Kota Rajasthan, Rana said, “We will organise teams of 500-1,000 people outside all theatres and multiplexes where we will request the moviegoers to boycott the film. We will give them roses and a pirated CD of the movie and request them to watch it at home.”

Commenting on the death threats issued against Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Deepika Padukone, Rana said, “To sully Deepika Padukone was wrong according to me, so was it wrong to declare Rs 5 crore to behead Bhansali and cut Deepika Padukone’s nose. However, she was dragged into the controversy after she made a statement in favour of the film. There are many people involved in the protests and each person has their own perspective. I condemn violence. I cannot endorse my community members speaking about violent acts.”